It just doesn't seem to be a good time at the moment for selling trials bikes, I've never had any problems selling our 125s in the past but I've had absolutely no interest in the Pro 125 I've had up for sale for 2 months! I probably did the worst thing and spent a lot of money on it to sell - should have just flogged it off dirt cheap. I'll be seriously out of pocket when I eventually sell it. Still, they say you live and learn, usually the hard way!
Just a quick note to say well done to the NE Youth Team (Lewis Peart, Dale Robson, Joe McMeekin, James Brooke and John Battensby) on Saturday after riding a trial that would have seen many a good adult rider retiring due to driving rain through the night and the duration of the trial which meant that 5s were the order of the day. With A and B class sharing the same route we were always on the back foot fielding 3 B class riders. I think it would be fair to say our lads struggled with the A and B route although the C route was about right. However, despite running right up to the time limit (which was extended by 1 hour and 3 sections being cancelled on the 2nd lap) the lads attempted every single section. Thanks also to the dads (minders) soaked to the skin by the time they reached the first section - so were the riders. Lastly to our TWO observers Debbie Peart and Clair Robson who stood in the rain for 7 hours - yes, I think we had the only section with 2 observers and consequently no queueing - other centres please take note.
Sorry I'm a long way behind on this topic but have just got back from holiday (well dragging a caravan around the counrtyside doing trials related things for a fortnight) a real holiday is a luxury I can't afford in terms of time and money. I don't know how financially astute Alan Stay is but I can assure him that many riders parents just do not have the cash or the time available to compete in all of the rounds of the Southern Championships (oops did I say Southern, I did of course mean British Championships).
Without going deeply into the finances of it, I'm sure many parents are like myself and have a pretty much fixed trials budget, even if they haven't got an actual figure they know what they can afford. I spend about
Sorry but that dig was directed towards TMX in reply to the previous post and was certainly not at Trials Central. Gordon does a great job keeping us up to date here in the NE Centre by posting onto Trials Central, as you say it's a shame all clubs/centres don't use this facility more.
B Class 1st Jack Challoner (Beta UK.COM). 2nd Josh Woods (GasGas). 3rd Louis Haley (Beta). 4th Adam Jones (Haven GasGas). 5th Ben Morphett (Inta GasGas). 6th Dale Robson (Birkett Motosport Scorpa).
A Class 250 1st Sam Haslam. 2nd Jake Britton. 3rd George Morton. 4th Nigel Crellin. 5th Craig Robinson. 6th Mike Evans. 7th Ben Wibberley. 8th Eddie Roberts. 9th Lewis Peart.
A Class 125 1st Lee Sampson. 2nd Alexz Wigg. 3rd Ross Danby. 4th Richard Ellwood. 5th Rob Andrews. 6th Zac Sherwin.
These are not the official results - sorry if I've got any wrong!
As stated it revs a lot quicker and returns to idle a lot quicker with it lightened, remember this is basically a road/trail engine not specifically designed for trials. As standard it feels more like a traction engine, its responds too slowly to opening or closing the throttle - its an easy mod and well worth doing in my opinion.
[Has anyone made the flywheel skimming down to 1,6 kg, recommended by Birks? ]
Yip, I machined our flywheel, weighs 1684g, revs much quicker than before, flywheel is about 80% of original weight but most importantly the weight has come off where it matters (around the outside). Probably the simplest and most worthwhile mod. It's not a difficult job and any small engineering workshop should be able to do it for
You want to try living in the North East, trials just doesn't exist up here if you believe what little you read - I've lost count of the number of times people ask if my son's still riding because he's never in the results!
Lots of advice given, all pointing in pretty much the same direction. You definately want at least one baffle in. If Birketts reckon on two then I wouldn't argue - they know a lot more about these bikes than we do. If they can supply you a jetting kit then I am sure it will come with the relevent information. I would be straight on the phone ordering one.
We always run a reasonable amount of idle speed on ours - just because its a four stroke theres no need to let it plod like a diesel - a reasonable idle speed covers a multitude of carburation sins, obviously reduces stalling and gives you much better throttle response from a closed throttle position. Hope this helps.
I collected the very first Scorpa 125 in the country and I have to say that those early bikes were seriously disappointing - most people expected a Scorpa 250 with a 125F motor - what you got was a load of cheap parts and the 125 motor. There was a good bike underneath there somewhere but it just got a bit lost. I've tried most of the tweeks and mods and yes you can get the bike transformed into a serious trials bike - more than good enough for the average clubman or schoolboy. Some mods just don't work (if anyone wants to buy a Mikuni Flatside please let me know!) and the racing CDI does nothing, revs about 500rpm more but produces no power there anyway, so don't bother.
We run a std carb 105 main with a 250 airbox / subframe / rear mudguard (1.2kg weight saving) racing CDI (again if anyone wants one....) and about 450g machined off the flywheel. We still have one restrictor left in the baffle 'cos it just sounds awfull without it, had new baffles made in alloy and use lighter weight packing (saving another 250g). Anyone getting hold of one for
I don't think ability classes would be a good idea at all - how would an 'expert' class rider get a ride if they couldn't get to the qualifying rounds? I think the format is fine as it is. The only problem is when the organisers are catering for riders who are just not up to National standard - its one of the reasons we don't do to many national trials. A few years ago we drove 600 miles round trip to Wales, dropped two marks and finished 2nd! It was an absolute waste of time and money.
Nationals should be tough they're supposed to be 'testing the best' riders in Britain.
We run our 125s at 100:1 on Synthetic Oil and have always proved reliable so I think 80:1 should be a safe bet - I know most people run much stronger mixes as per the manufacturers (covering their own backsides) recomendations, but really they don't need that much oil.
We use Netlon, its available from Engineering suppliers (Cromwell Tools, Monks and Crane etc) and used for protecting machined components. Just cut a length off an pull it up the fork leg - obviously only protects the lower leg and not 100% effective against a real serious scrape. You want the White (50-65mm) and at
It depends on just how well you have sealed the air box to the seat, they do not do a good job at the factory. Take the airbox off the seat unit, its held on by 6 torx screws, scrape off the sealer put on at the factory - you should notice the sealer is nowhere near the gap its supposed to be sealing, this is because its been put on after assembly.
Get some PU Seam Sealer (available at motor factors - used for sticking car body parts, spoilers etc) and apply some right around the joint, put the airbox back onto the seat unit and put the torx screws back in. Leave it overnight and trim off any excess with a knife. This is the biggest source of water ingress into the airbox so putting it right will keep most of the water out. A drain hole is still a good idea though with either the sponge method or a flexible plastic / rubber petal type flap under the drain hole to let water out but not in.
There is one point here that seems to have been overlooked - these rules have been laid down by the governing bodies of our sport and they are there to be adhered to. Any rider who knowingly fills in their entry form and enters B Class on a 250 is CHEATING. They must enter out of class or maybe enter A Class.
It is certainly a problem up here in the North East - we aren't talking about riders who already had 250s, some have actually recently sold their 125s and bought new 250s! Why do you think they have done this? Simple, because a 250 will save them a few marks at a trial. Has it made them better riders, of course not, the bike is merely helping them drop less marks. There is a difference.
I agree with jrsunt in that a 125 is just as capable as a 250 it just takes a lot more effort. Crosswaite in the SSDT on the 4 stroke and Alexz Wigg just about anytime I see him ride spring to mind.
Its a problem that needs sorted now! The same riders are hardly going to want to step back down to 125s for A Class, which of course they will have to in January 07. C Class is going to have exactly the same problem.
Its up to the Clubs and the ACU to make a stance now, and if the parents of the riders have any decency in them then make sure you state on the entry form that they are riding out of class.
Okay so where's the nearest TY80 trial this weekend and I'll go off and bag myself a trophy - nobody will mind will they?
General organisation was poor, bikes started before the start, kids riding after the trial and practising before, C class sections for B class and queues where sections should have had an observer & card puncher (and I did offer to punch at section 4 but got turned down as I believe did a couple of others, where were the officials?). I'm not at all impressed after a 400 mile round trip for what amounts to a mediocre club trial. Just one of the reasons we don't do the entire Southern oops I mean British Championship. Oh and my wife said the toilet was absolutely disgusting. At least the weather held up.
Dead easy fix here, get a tin of TyreWeld or similar, you know the stuff for fixing punctures, well it fixes leaking spokes aswell. Fairly obvious really. Squirt it in, take bike for a spin down the street and its done.
The place in Stokesley is on the Terry Dicken Ind. Est, Station Road. I bought a Merc Sprinter that belonged to them so I'm just going off the reg docs and it was registered to Hansell Composites although I believe he produces bike bits under the FibreLyte product name. Hope this is some help. Nigel Robson.
Sold Or Not?
in UK Trials Talk
Posted
It just doesn't seem to be a good time at the moment for selling trials bikes, I've never had any problems selling our 125s in the past but I've had absolutely no interest in the Pro 125 I've had up for sale for 2 months! I probably did the worst thing and spent a lot of money on it to sell - should have just flogged it off dirt cheap. I'll be seriously out of pocket when I eventually sell it. Still, they say you live and learn, usually the hard way!